Her Aura

A bustling market meets your eye. It seems to have come right out of a movie in Egypt, the place seemed orange like from the dust dancing in the air. The sun beat down on the stalls of all sorts of sizes, colors and shapes littered around the streets. Each booth was selling carpets, jewelry, fresh fruits, meats, and sweets, all what you would imagine at a typical open market. People wandered among the stalls, sampling everything with hungry eyes. The streets were worn down from the many feet shuffling about and old woven carts toppled with merchandise being dragged along by an aged old mule. The air was thick with heat and voices of people offering goods, shouts of bargaining, and the clip clopping of the mules.1

A girl with peculiar rich blue hair up in a bun with loose strands of hair hanging down at the sides of her face in a dark red baseball cap, stumbled along the streets, a smile playing on her face. A seven-year-old boy drew near her looking confused, and tugged on the cuffs of her pale purple silk sleeves. Shyllis looked down at him, her tired eyes sparkled with warmth. 2

"Yes? Are you lost?" She said smiling.3

"No," he responded shaking his head, "Why do you have colors around you?" 4

Shyllis's brow knit with concern.5

"You...you can see it?" She asked, her face seemed grim, her muscles tensed. 6

'How??' she thought.7

The boy cocked his head to the side, looking more confused then ever,8

"Um..it's.. right there... and there." He pointed to spots around her indicating where her aura was strongest.9

Shyllis nodded slowing, her mind reeling at the possibility that someone should notice her. She then thought back to a time when she was young and her mother and told her something...10

'..What was it? People who are like me can see my aura? No no... of course they can see it! Hmm...' 11

It suddenly hit her.12

Only those who believed in people like her would be able to see let alone notice her unusual aura.13

"Oh." She said, her face relaxed, " Well you see..." Shyllis crouched on the balls of her feet, looking at him in the eye, his eyes showing some fear that she might harm him, " I'm... different."14

"How?" asked the boy, looking even more puzzled.15

"Promise you won't tell anyone..." she whispered, her eyes shone brightly. The boy hesitated.16

"I...I promise." He said faltering. Shyllis beamed, her face seemed to glow softly.17

"Good." She answered. "I have one question for you. Do you believe in..." She stopped, looking at the small boy up and down, "In...Meagunsi[*]...?" Her eyebrows rose in skepticisms, waiting for his answer. He turned bright red under his tan, as if he was caught with something he wasn't suppose to have. 18

"My mommy and pappy say they aren't real, but I keep trying to tell them that they really are rea-" He blurted out, reddening more as his hands flew to his mouth.19

Shyllis laughed softly, her eyes faintly changing colors, "It's okay," she said gently, reaching out to bring the boy's hands down to his sides. She stretched out her left hand, palm up, " Look.." Shyllis murmured, gesturing at her hand. With rapt attention the boy stared intently at her palm, not seeing anything.20

"I don't see..." His voice trailed off, looking with wide eyes at her hand.21

There, a misty green folded into purple-blue, flame shimmered faintly, flickering in the blowing soft dry air. The boy's eyes filled with wonder, unconsciously he drew out his hand and reached to touch the flame. Just before he realized what he was doing, his fingertips grazed the top of the fire. He flinched back instinctively, wincing at the incoming pain, then realizing there was none. Shyllis tittered, her sharp purple eyes lit up.22

"There's no need to worry," She said, all smiles, " It's a witch's flame, it won't harm you." 23

The boy looked unsettled, gazing around at the people clamoring around them.24

"What?" Shyllis asked, noticing the boy’s discomfort.25

"Won't someone see you?" He implored, continuing to look around.26

She laughed, "What do you know about Meagunsi magic?" she reminded, closing her palm, the fire shimmering away like dust.27

"That...that...If you believe in it you can se-" His eyes illuminated with surprise. "You're.. a Meagunsi?" He questioned, looking at her in a whole new perspective.28

"Yes...!" Chirped Shyllis, her face shone with delight, she got up and brushed away some of the dirt from her light blue skirt. She smiled down at the boy who was still looking up in wonder at her.29

"I'll see you." She said grinning, giving a small playful salute to him, turned and shimmered into the crowd.30

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[*] Just a side note about the story... The word "Meagunsi [Megan-sai]" used in the story is just a word of my making, but in case you couldn't tell, "Meagunsi" are hidden ordinary people with magic, but only those who believe will know they're there. As in one way to tell is they have a rainbow colored aura, and unusual colored hair. ::.~